Wednesday, May 23, 2012

This morning in the Chicago Sun-Times Fran Spielman reports that Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts is reaching out to the Chicago City Council's African American members in an effort to breath life into his request for public funds to help finance Wrigley Field renovations. Since the revelation that Joe Ricketts, patriarch of the family that owns the Cubs, was soliciting proposals to attack President Barack Obama, Tom Ricketts has been in damage control mode. As the New York Timesreported the plan presented to the Ricketts family (not just Joe, but Cubs shareholders Pete and Todd) used race in attempt to do political damage to the President. To me this outreach to African American Alderman is insulting for the following reasons:

Both Dan Bernstein (@dan_bernstein) and Steve Rosenbloom (@stevenrosenbloom) have made the allegation, with compelling evidence, that the Ricketts family is misleading about their father's role in Cubs ownership. If this allegation is true, why should anyone believe Tom Ricketts explanations and spin regarding the family backing of the racist attack on the Obama? Hopefully reporters, Alderman, Mayor Emanuel and anyone else that Tom reaches out will challenge him to fully explain Joe's involvement in Cubs ownership.

The New York Times also reported that the race baiting proposal was presented to Cubs shareholders Pete and Todd Ricketts. So while its great to separate Joe Ricketts from Cubs ownership, how does the family explain Pete and Todd's apparent participation in the solicitation of the racist proposal?

Why is Tom Ricketts only reaching to African American Aldermen? Is he of the belief that white and Hispanic Alderman weren't offended by his father's and brothers' efforts to launch a race based attack on President Obama? Shouldn't his outreach be to all Alderman?

Tom Rickets must think the African American Aldermen and the people of Chicago are fools. It is appalling that he is misleading everyone about his father's role in the ownership group, while at the same time ignoring the fact that his two brothers who are acknowledged Cubs shareholders were involved in this raced based plan to attack President Obama.